WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Justin Verlander’s mere presence inside the Astros clubhouse on Thursday afternoon at Fitteam Ballpark of the Palm Beaches is a product of “rebuilding” — a scheme he’s thankful exists but also cautions is a misnomer.

Perhaps the most outspoken of all major league players during this free agent freeze, Verlander reaffirmed recent social media comments on Thursday, excoriating the sport’s noncompetitiveness and reverberations its caused this slow-moving offseason.

“A lot of teams are hiding behind this rebuilding mantra that you see almost every team that’s not winning talk about and I think that can be a little misleading,” Verlander said.

100 or so free agents left unsigned. System is broken. They blame “rebuilding” but that’s BS. You’re telling me you couldn’t sign Bryce or Manny for 10 years and go from there? Seems like a good place to start a rebuild to me. 26-36 is a great performance window too.

"(Organizations) just want to continue to appease their fans by saying that word, but if I was a fan of some of these teams, I'd be pretty upset and be at their fences — not going in their fences — but at their fences preaching change."

The Astros, of course, endured just what Verlander bemoaned from 2012-14 upon the hire of Jeff Luhnow. The tanking, in part, allowed the organization to acquire the 35-year-old ace in Aug. 2017 as it proceeded toward its first World Series title.

Verlander contended he can see how rebuilding works “in some cases” but proclaimed other teams within their “window” to win should “go for it.”

“Who wants to go see some of these teams,” Verlander said. “Fans are smart. We ask them to pay their hard-earned money to come watch us play. If they want to do that, I think the organization should uphold a certain level of integrity and want to put a certain product on the field.”

As Verlander spoke after his bullpen session on Thursday afternoon, both Manny Machado and Bryce Harper remained unsigned. Former Houston teammates Dallas Keuchel, Marwin Gonzalez and Martin Maldonado did not have jobs, either.

“That’s what bothers me, we have so many free agents that could help multiple, multiple teams and they’re just sitting there,” Verlander said. “We have so many guys that can help teams, but when you don’t have teams that want to be helped, it really limits your options.”